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A World Without Sin
A World Without Sin Power Through Hate Black Vox was under attack. Multiple battles were being waged over the prison. The once pristine area surrounding it now were pitted and scarred from the absolute carnage that held sway, not only over the mysterious invaders and the inmates but even those dedicated to stopping what many already knew to be the worst-case-scenario from escalating further still. Roland was starting to sweat. The silver-haired swordmaster could feel his armor failing him by the second. Repeated blows that he should have been able to simply shrug off began to chip rapidly at his armor’s thinning his faltering defenses. Not only was he running out of protection, his infinite armory was blocked, preventing him from adapting to the situation. He knew he had to have something, somewhere, but without access to it he was a sitting duck. Before he could do anything to gain momentum in the battle he was forced to deflect a blade aimed right for his eye. Knocking the sword with little effort, he wasn’t prepared for what Donovan had planned for him. The Accelerator Mage slowed his limbs to a crawl, preventing him from readying his counter and in seconds, he felt a blow that obliterated his Armorize outright, the insane speed and vibrational forces reducing the scarlet semi-organic steel to nothing, and the man who resided within the shell fell to the ground, feeling like he was run over by a truck, every bone in his torso felt busted. Shards of bone or metal, he couldn’t tell, protruded from his chest letting blood flow. He was broken in a way that only once before he knew. “I just hope I bought Aria enough time...” he thought, praying that his team could get back on their feet. Watching Prometheus shroud his body with magma to render her blood arts useless made Saleen give a quizzical look. She never expected the magic given to her by the Queen to be rendered null by the Slayer’s abilities. She couldn’t afford to ponder how it could be done before a massive Dragon’s Roar barreled towards her, only blocked at the last minute by Swartz’s timely intervention. When the second Salamander asked if she desired death, she scoffed. “I’m not afraid.” she replied calmly with a seriousness starkly contrasting her childish persona. “If creating Hell is your best, then I have nothing to worry about.” Before she could do anything, she saw the sky erupt in a flaming hue. A blazing sword of light caught her attention in the distance. The brilliant scarlet glow made her feel uneasy, like the weight of divine judgment had finally tipped the scales, such was the power she sensed emanating from the area. Morgan watched in awe as Cassandra queued up her weapon of absolute destruction. Though the incredible magical energy she felt was on her side, she was afraid that in a single moment, the goddess could eliminate the entire world without a second thought. When the glowing sword of pure fury vanished as soon as it was swung, the Dragon Slayer’s gaze turned to the man responsible. The only human she hated as much as she loathed Jadow stood there, and before she could even react, came at her like a bullet wreathed in fire. Thanks to Cassandra’s timely actions, the charge was deflected, as was the followup attack, a flaming spear that was aimed right at the Slayer. “Faer....this ends today...” she growled out, bearing her fangs as the animalistic nature she harbored began to awaken. Without warning, she bolted forward and around the winged deity with astounding speed, shadowy blurs the only warning she even moved. Silently, she activated her primary offensive spell, Darkness Dragon’s Wingbeat, creating a shroud of dark violet energy around her right arm that instantly shaped itself into the form of its namesake. Appearing behind Faer, she swiped with both her Darkness Dragon’s Claws and the effigy of a wing, hoping to slice the man apart. Faer Pleigh always felt disadvantaged in any given situation when confronting those who are a thorn in his side. Morgan Deschain was not only a visible reminder that the one who stripped his innocence and opened his eyes to the cruelty of this world, but a pain that never left him. He wanted to vomit every time he saw the one who scarred him and left him incapacitated for months. He thought he would've died from that explosion of fierce, cold and unforgiving Ethernano of Darkness and Light. But he survived, as he always did. Even fighting a Goddess of an old forgotten religion he pressed on. His assault had purpose, masked by the continued flailings he made of the signs of justified infuriation and outright rage. But the one who summoned this deity decided to not err on the side of caution. Instead she chose to move aside from the one he focused his efforts on and did so with the utmost haste. "So fast...!" Faer realized, seeing Morgan's form blurring to a near indiscernable streak of midnight hue. When he saw her go for his backside, she'd witness his whole midsection become cleaved in half from the combined spells she physically wrought. Blood and innards with bits of bone were revealed as both halves separated with the force her attack, bending back with a lurch. Then, a sigil manifested between both halves of his body, black and near solid to imitate glass. Shredded tissue, bone and blood vessels became the composition of ink, stretching out to connect each other and pull him back together. Stitched around to look as if no damage had been done other than tears made into his cloak and undershirt. The sight was great enough to make even Cassandra widen her eyes with surprise. "Ink Magic, Ink Body," He intoned, turning to look at Morgan over his shoulder. "Your Slayer Magic gives you incredible speed. However, what I lack now, can be easily remedied," Raising his staff up, a series of inscriptions circled around the edge of his hand-clasped wand. "Enchantment Formula: Increase Offensive and Defensive Status by 200%." Suddenly, his body crackled with a fierce aura and he disappeared from her view. Grasping her face he'd slam her head into the ground, unleashing a wave of unrepentant flames from his palms that'd waft over her whole body. Before he could instill further damage, Cassandra appeared instantly before him, slashing her blade towards his head, to which he parried easily with his staff. Lifting the Slayer up, he kicked her in the abdomen to be caught by the winged woman, launching a column of Cosmos light that she was forced to disperse with her blade. Something she found sent her dragging back dozens of meters. "I've repeatedly enchanted that sword of yours, Goddess," He declared, his eyes aglow with a fearsome glint. "Any power you poured into it is useless against me. Just like any attemps of your summoner capable of killing me, it's all futile in the end!" "How foolish," Cassandra retaliated, a wide toothy grin bore an insidious shine in her red eyes. With wings flapping out to imitate a hurricane wind that sent people flying or needing to shield themselves, her blood colored Aura shook the ground and burned the air. As she eased Morgan's pain with her own supplementary recovery spell, she tossed her weapon aside, causing it to burn away till it was nothing but ash. Palming a closed fist, she cracked her knuckles as she swaggered towards the Enchanter. "Futile ''you say? That sounds like a challenge. I haven't had a good fight in hundreds of years, enchanter boy. Let's see if you can back up those words!" Under the constant awareness of a Goddess doing battle wasn't something that eased Prometheus' mind. But in the confusion, he saw Saleen's focus become clouded by her comrade combating the deity. Realizing this was a chance opening, he propelled himself forward with incredible momentum. Swinging his magma oozing arm towards her, a monolithic limb shielded the blow and in turn crashed into him like a swollen tree. "Where did that come from-?!" He questioned, just in time to see a second even larger arm, now the size of a tower sized limb. Bracing for impact he felt his body slingshotted across the landscape, most Dark Mages giving a wide berth were accidentally KO'd by his burning body. When he finally hit a distant plateau, exploding it with the sheer force, did he fall to a plop. "...ugh...the fuck did I get hit by?" By the time he could stand up, he could see what hit him. A towering figure even from the several kilometers he was sent flying from, white hair now slicked back in jet black with dark red skin that bordered on being black in pigment. From here, he could even hear his voice, as if upped to eleven on a megaphone. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! HOW DID YA LIKE THAT, FIRE-FLY?! NGHYAHAHAHAHAHA, OH MY LUNGS, AHAHAHAHAHAHA!" He bellowed with laughter that shook the air, his own madness making him forget the fight with the deity, the other slayer and the enchanter. He even forgot that Saleen was standing nearby, so his booming voice was heard at its loudest despite not being aimed directly at her. "''That bastard can use an explosive-type Fire Magic and can use Giant Magic? The Hell did he get this power from?" Prometheus thought with twitching at the absurdity. Grimacing he felt his arms shake, having only been saved by its molten state from them feeling the raw impact outright. His whole body throbbed but he ignored it. "Can't let that psycho run free, let alone that crafty water magician...if I could lure them away from the others, I can cut loose without worrying about getting my allies caught in the crossfire..." From his position, he could see everything occurring around the battlefield. The skyline showered with occasional fireballs and projectiles, as the Paladin Ink Human continued to fight fiercely against his master, Jasmine. They exchanged blows but neither seemed to make progress as the Ink Human could recover from the harshest of injuries while Jasmine endured or evaded the majority of the meaningful artifical person's spells and melee attacks. It was awesome to behold, but he didn't get distracted. He had lost track of how many Dark Magicians continued to make hit and run attacks on the spiraling metal bird that is the Skyhawk. Despite being a Swordsman Master, Diana showcased incredible aerial competence, her piloting proving that she could handle even an array of multiple opponents. It made him respect her at the sight. But seeing the intense source of the red glare painting the battlefield made him worry. Not to mention he saw another of their allies get defeated by a trio of Dark Mages that had sprung the majority of the inmates still looming in the shadows. None of them dared run, not that they could escape a goddess or their benefactor's wrath. But none of them willingly stretch their necks out unless provoked. They just hovered here and there, waiting and wondering what the outcome of these fights were. They were the most entertainment they had in years, some even centuries. He had a show to give them just yet. Clapping his hands together he fired up a flare towards the sky kilometers from where they were. In an explosion of flames, five letters were ordained in the sky as a challenge to his two opponents. They read simply. BRING IT! "Now to see if they'll take the bait," Prometheus thought as he stretched his arms and rolled his shoulders in preparation, engulfing his whole body in a molten mantle. He was ready to fight them at full strength if need be. He didn't have the Ethernano manipulation that his master did to suppress the heat of his own Aura. If he could even take out two of their biggest rouges, it was going to be enough of a contribution. Meanwhile, Mina watched with a satisfied grin of relief as Roland finally took the fall. It took a lot of work but the tenacious fighter was rid of his armor, weapons and now his vitality. Knowing that the puppet of her ally's was going to expire at any moment, she was glad it happened now instead of him being able to swap out another armor or set of weapons. "Good work," She projected telepathically. "You can cut your link to the walking dead man. Also, let's make sure to get back to the Black Onyx. I'll be safer waiting them out there.''" "Roger that!" "Wait, but he's still alive. Shouldn't we finish him?" "Eh, I guess so-" In the span it took for the three to agree mentally, a new presence entered their midst. In a blur that left little impression to the surroundings, a petite hand reached out and grabbed Roland by the collar, pulling him off the ground to be hauled like a sack of potatoes. When they noticed the enemy that had pulled him away, a dozen fiery blasts raced to hit them. Despite Donovan rushing to slow the attacks, Mina decided against it. With a clap, she teleported the two with her back to the ship along with the brute carrying the dying nullifier mage. All of them collapsed near Reimu, with Mina immediately being shouted at by Donovan, who was held back by Rowlie. "What the Hell?! You took us out of the fight entirely?!" "Easy, Don-!" "This is bullshit!" He tried to shrug her off, his eyes looking angrily at the stoic girl. "What gives you the right to just impose something like this-?!" "Quiet," She intoned, her eyes icily staring back at them. "You're lucky to be alive the last time that monster was on this deck. If you tried to fight him again, you wouldn't have me to save you. Not when the rest of his squad was backing him up. So take a breather and if you're really in the mood for suicide, there's the balcony. Jump off it." "Tch!" Donovan sneered, finally shaking Rowlie off but did little to take her advice. Punching the railing, he growled with frustration. "...I'm going to make that fucker pay...!" "We'll get our shot, Don. But now's not the time," Rowlie tried to reassure him, only earning his ire. "Don't talk to me, Rowlie. Not right now!" Back down below, Rubie hurried him back to Aria whom immediately erected a restoration barrier back within the tower barrier she had constructed. Constantine had followed, keeping his guard up and angry that his targets vanished without a trace. When they huddled around his bloodied, armor deprived person, the Captain knelt on one knee and sighed. "I'm sorry I let this happen to you, kid. Must've been a...humbling experience to be overwhelmed by so many enemies. You sure know how to pick them, eh?" "Lay off him, Cap," Rubie chastised her leader, frowning at him which earned a roll of his eyes. Looking down, she apologetically stared at her injured friend. Tears welled up in her eyes and she fought the urge to weep at the state he was reduced to. It was more humiliating how she was rendered unconscious because of a split second illusion, and was made a useless burden for their team leader. Lowering her head, she made fists out of her open hands laying upon her lap. "I'm...I'm so so so sorry, Ro...I didn't mean for this to happen. You must think I'm the worst, letting this happen to our team." "Don't beat yourself up, Rubie," Aria consoled her friend, trying to force a smile up as she continued to mend Roland's wounds back to full health. "He caught everyone offguard. Just be thankful he didn't take an opportunity and attack Roland when he was fighting all those Dark Mages by himself." "Yeah, where did silent and creepy head off to?" "Don't know, and I don't think it matters at the moment," Aria replied, making the Captain of Drake Squad growl with irritation. "What does is what will we do against this many skilled opponents. We could take on the lesser trained mages but most of them are unstable and bordering on mania. We're fighting lunatics to mass murderers, to shrewd tacticians and heinous criminals. These aren't simple thugs with magic. They are warriors to cold blooded killers. We may need to call headquarters and get as many squads down here to contain the situation." "'This is Captain Sting of the Punishment Corps. I have been pursuing a Dark Mage looming near your area and I see it's grown quite chaotic from the vast array of Ethernano signatures I read. Do you wish assistance?" All four of the Armed Wizards would ultimately fall silent. They hadn't expected the Punishment Corps to be anywhere near their location. They were the closest available mages as far as the Armed Wizards were concerned, and no other branch could reach their isolated destination in time. It was either luck or a horrible omen to have a group with an infamous stigma for harsh behavior and even stricter leaders in their command. They butted heads with nearly every organization if only because of their evolving change of how they interpret "Justice" or "Punishment" to those they deemed as enemies. Would their service be that valued, or could they afford to turn them away? Given all four of them were talked to by the Telepathic Shout, Constantine looked to the other three blankly, "What do you think? Should we permit them to come by, or should we try to find another solution?" "I don't think we have another solution," Rubie spoke frankly, imploring the three others with a look of urgency. "Our enemy is the man who brought down the Seven Towers of Seven's capital. Now he destroyed the Black Vox, an impenetrable fortress housing the most deranged of Dark Mages from over half a millenia. They're all loose and whether we can stop them here and now, let alone survive, depends on any available reinforcements we get." "I agree," Aria warily nodded her head, looking to Roland apologetically. "I'm sorry to pressure you right after you sustained significant injury, Roland, but your say will determine our fate. The Captain won't make up his mind until he hears you out; given his past relationship with the Punishment Corps." Morgan’s scowling expression didn’t change as she felt her claws and wing find their marks. Something was wrong and she knew it. Landing what looked to be a fatal blow so easily made no sense, especially against someone like Faer. Before she could continue her bloody slaughter, the man stitched himself together as if nothing happened. Letting out a brutal growl, she raised her arm for another strike before the man grabbed her and threw her to the ground. The next thing she knew, flames engulfed her. A wordless scream left her as the conflagration raged and burnt her flesh. As quickly as they began, the flames stopped, leaving her body covered in burns, only protected from worse thanks to her scales. Wracked with pain as she was, she couldn’t fight back as she was lifted and then kicked with tremendous force. Air and spittle were ejected from her as she was sent sailing back only to be caught by Cassandra. Once again, she cried out in pain. Thanks to the goddess’s healing spell, the burns faded and her nerves finally calmed down. However, her madness only deepened. She hated how weak she felt, she loathed Faer’s ability to grow beyond her by leaps and bounds. He was not only the ultimate obstacle for her to overcome but he had yet to properly pay for his sins against her family, sins that could only be repaid in bloodshed. She could feel her draconic instinct for carnage and inflicting pain there in her mind, no longer was it whispering to her but demanding that she brought to bear all of her talents. If it really was impossible to kill that man, she would test that with every ounce of her power and more. As her rage began to boil over, a shroud of darkness swirled around her as if it were her destructive will made manifest. There was one thought and one thought alone within her mind as she walked towards Faer, revenge. Saleen turned her focus back to the battle and realized her momentary lapse in attention’s cost. She was caught completely off-guard, and only a timely intervention by Swartz was the only thing that protected her. When the muscular man deflected the Slayer into a nearby tree, she allowed herself a small smile. Not only was the Salamander the only one taking damage so far, but she was witnessing the power of one of the feared inmates of Black Vox first-hand. And so far, she had to say that the results far exceeded the rumors. The Queen would be pleased, of that she was beyond sure. When Swartz magnified his size and started laughing like the jolly giant he had become, the blue-haired Coven member was thankful her Water Body could dampen the force of the sound waves, limiting the odds of suffering permanent damage. Prometheus offered up a non-verbal challenge to the pair and she wondered what he was planning to accomplish. There was no fear as she prepared herself to send a reply in kind. “Obey me, Heaven, as I weave the cloth and give shape to formlessness. Bend an ear to me, clouds, so that I may direct your motions. Hear if you can, spirits of rain and storm and winds...” she whispered, clutching her staff tightly. Seemingly from nowhere, clouds as dark as night converged above Prometheus. Without even the slightest warning, the clouds unleashed a mighty torrent of water straight downwards in the form of a crushing wave. Reimu sighed, releasing her hold on the Vice-Warden, who she was firmly sure was dead. Weakened considerably by the effort to maintain his vital functions long enough to defeat the crimson man, she was shaking from the strain. The sudden arrival of Mina’s group caused the silver-eyed girl to jump with surprise. Before she could welcome them back to the ship, Donovan was about to jump overboard, much to her shock, screaming that someone needed to die. Once the others were able to get the speedster away from such a course of action, she walked over, her whole being shaking with exhaustion. “Your team is right..against the rest of them, it’d be different than him alone. Even then, if his armor magic was still working, you’d have lost anyway.” she stated matter of factly. She knew the spells that were broken as if it were by her own hand the negation was cast, and through that, she had gleaned quite a lot of information about the armor. Roland tried his best to lay still while Aria started the arduous task of putting his insides back where they belonged. He wanted to snark out Constantine, but before he could even form his insulting retort, Rubie began to apologize to him for something fully out of her control and for the first time in a long time, he dropped the jerkish facade he showed his team. “Hey, don’t start crying Rubes, it’s not your f-fault.” he groaned as the healing magic really kicked in, causing bone, muscle, and flesh to shift. No matter how often he had to be stitched back together, it was never something he got used to. “I’m just glad you’re oka---” Before he could finish what he was saying, a sudden telepathic transmission broke his train of thought. Once it was over and Aria asked for his input, he pondered it for only a moment. “I agree with Rubie boss...we got no choice left...Faer...he fought Jadow for fuck’s sake.” he hissed as another shift in his body wracked him with another wave of pain, only in hindsight realizing what he had just said. Faer wished he could enact good on his destruction of both beings in front of him. But the tactful side of him was reined in when he heard Mina report of an incoming telepathic transmission hailing from the outside. Hearing it was the Captain of the Punishment Force, he knew that the enemy was becoming far more painful to deal with on their own. Even if they outnumbered them, he'd lose too much to make the trip worth the expense. Mentally, he commanded Paladin to split apart in the middle of its battle with Jasmine and spread across the wide perimeter the inmates were contained along with the Black Onyx itself. In a minute, the inscription of a massive circle would encompass the ranks of the air as well as those on the ground. Everything was in place and he knew he'd have to hold himself back from fighting the spawn of Ragnarok. For now, he'll curb the desire to spill blood. He had done enough as it stands. "As much as I'd enjoy giving you the fight you both desire, I've run out of time to play around with you," He declared, his eyes closing as he exhaled smoothly. Raising his staff he cracked it against the ground, using Cosmos to give off a brilliant shine to blind the pair. With time bought he twirled his magical tool as he swirled and conjured the power to use this formula: A Long Range Teleportation Spell. "Farewell, Goddess and Devil. I'll give you my full attention another day!" Among those that combated the enemies, Swartz found himself sucked up in a weightless light. He watched Prometheus clasp his magma arms together and shoot a slicing beam of molten heat up towards the column of pressurized water. Grinning he'd look forward to clashing with this level of power again. Those aboard the Black Onyx would feel a strange sense of light-headedness along with gravity being parted. Every Dark Mage convict that escaped the Black Vox would undergo the effects of a rampant teleportation. Even as time and space bent, turning through, Faer would find himself greeted with a near instantaneous arrival; one that he narrowly avoided confronting. Through a rapid sigil carving into the sky, a streak of light struck the earth explosively and a blonde-haired fur-collared jacket wearing man thrust out talons of light towards his face. Had the spell not been made in the seconds it had been, he'd have felt his jaw eviscerated by the work of another Dragon Slayer entirely. One far older, and more destructive than one would care to tarry around. "Damn, too late!" Sting Eucliffe snarled as he ate up the afterglow of the Cosmos that bled into the air nefariously by Faer. Only miliseconds shy of capturing his quarry, he stood upright from his landing squat with the symbol of the Punishment Force emblazoned on his back; a white clenched fist holding what looked like escaping rays of sunlight. Turning around, he'd briefly notice Cassandra before his eyes homed in on Morgan. Looking down at her, he furrowed his brows while his hands placed on his hips. "You have a...nostalgic scent. Who are you to be in the thick of so much violence?" Three Slayers Converge The Goddess stayed silent, steaming that her enemy had left so suddenly. But she was increasingly interested in the one who had appeared in a ray of holy light. The magic exuding off him was baffling; old yet young, as if age had not hindered any of his prime both physically and spiritually. Least of all was this sense of fearsome edge that if he wanted to, he could have wiped out every standing person whom he deemed as a threat with ease. "This man, he's like that Salamander if he was refined to a razor edge of proficiency," She regarded mentally, looking to Morgan to see how she'd respond to him. She was still on the fence as to exactly if she disliked him or not. She'd await her beloved's answer, especially since her own quarry had disappeared in the blink of an eye. Morgan was mere moments away from blitzing Faer in order to rip him apart before a spell blinded her temporarily. Shielding her eyes from further damage, she tried to sniff him out and resume her offensive. But in the span of seconds, even the scent of her nemesis vanished, leaving her to growl in frustration. Once her sight returned to normal, she saw another person standing where Faer once did. Her rage began to subside and a semblance of control was regained. Even still, there was anger that her prey had once more escaped. “I don’t need to tell you.” she said, her words laced with distrust. She had no idea which side the strange man really stood on and until she could be sure, information was a precious thing. She deactivated her claws, the rapid expense of magic power was starting to wear on her, and she couldn’t risk running out. “You’re the one who intruded on my battle with Faer after all.” "I intruded on nothing, brat," Sting sneered, bending down with his hands remaining on his hips with his blue eyes squinting at her face. "You reek of chaos like ash to a fire. Mighty suspicious for somebodywho's at the heart of a crime that was committed. I should arrest you and everyone here for-" A mighty whack was heard following the wing of Cassandra making contact with the blonde haired White Nova's head. He was sent hurdling head over heels before he landed on all fours along the ground. A look of infuriation crossed his features as a bruise had formed across his jawline and his eyes narrowed to dots within the whites of his ocular orbs. "I'll have you treat my beloved ''with ''respect," The Yakuma Goddess commanded as her wings spread outward, her red eyes boring straight towards the livid Slayer's face. "She is not some dog to which you can talk down to. She has far more class, intelligence and elegance than you could hope to possess." "Uh, Morgan," Maria finally piped up, making her way to her sister's side as she paled at the sight of Sting. "This isn't someone you should mess with. He's a member of the Council's enforcement branches, the Punishment Force. He has the legal ability to lock you up until you're proven to be innocent; not even someone of our clout could reasonably resist charges from him." "CAPTAIN EUCLIFFE!" A voice sounded from the sky as a number of soldiers streaked into view. Armored in a style of white steel with golden enamored borders, the black insignia on Sting's jacket was put on their breastplates. With blue tassles attached to their helmets they moved with surprising stride in such body conformed plated armor, the yellow lines thrumming with a unique type of magic unseen by many except their targets. The young man who removed his helmet had long blonde hair and a face that looked effminate, but with a voice that was anything but womanly. "We searched the area and found no traces of the one we pursued. It's possible he hijacked the magic circle that transported the rest of the Dark Mages who escaped the Black Vox," He reported thoroughly. After doing so, he noticed Cassandra's presence and reached for his blade, ready to unsheathe it at once. "Should I intervene, sir?" "Regroup with Drake Squad and have them debrief you of what they encountered," Captain Eucliffe replied, his body standing up as white rays of light petered off his lean frame. Eyes glowing a pure snow color complemented his deep tone as he walked towards Cassandra, Morgan and Maria. "I'll interrogate these three myself." "Understood!" The man complied without question, turning on his heels and rushing off in a blur along with the rest of his cohorts. "Now then, Morgan," Sting spoke lowly, his eyes addressing the Goddess as well as her sister when speaking. "Tell me what is your connection with the terrorist known as Faer Pleigh or why you're in the middle of a forbidden area deemed by the Council? Depending on your answers, I'm willing to be lenient and forget your...pet summon...has struck a member of the Council enforcers." Morgan suppressed her shock as Sting once again commented on her scent. She wondered for a moment what he meant, finding his repeated mentions of it unnerving. She had a sinking feeling that he could smell something more than just the blood on her hands, but she discarded the idea as laughable. But before she could demand of him an answer, Cassandra’s wing sent the light mage sailing back. When the goddess started praising her, she stifled a chuckle, feeling that none of the traits really fit her. Maria’s sudden reveal that they were dealing with a member of the Punishment Force and he had enough legal power to basically hold them without cause made her worry. Having to toe the line was something she was never good at. Letting out a sigh, she mustered up what willpower she had, hoping she could keep her cool long enough to escape the looming situation at hand. When she saw one of the armor-clad mages gripping a sword, she entered into a combative stance, one far more feral than her usual; low to the ground and appearing as though she was a beast waiting to pounce on her prey, ready to do whatever she had to if another battle broke out. “I won’t let them get near her...Kill...Destroy...Protect.” the maddening mantra echoed in her mind, both focusing and fueling her anger. Once the armored group left, she appeared to relax, her mind still focused on defending Maria from Sting if the situation soured any further. “The only connection he and I share is our hate, for each other and for...dragons.” she stated, hoping Sting didn’t press the issue much further. “ As for why we’re here, we were with Crime Sorcière when the call for help came. So we offered to help.” "Crime Sorcière?! Then that means-" Sting couldn't comprehend the magnitude of how unprepared he was of confronting a vigilante Guild that was lukewarmly tolerated by the Council, let alone the rest of Ishgar. So, before he could speak further on the matter, he turned to see a man clad in roughed up leather and furs. Red eyes burned bright crimson while his hair sported a sports red. The scent of ash and brimstone followed by an undeniable sensation of competing Ethernano led him to believe he was also a Slayer. But one of the aforementioned organization, founded by Jellal Fernandes. "Hey, asshole," Prometheus sounded out, his frame stopping a couple meters short as he glared back at the venomous staring Sting. "Quit lording over the kids. They've fought valiantly and I rather not them get harassed by a goon of the Council. So scram!" "What if I refuse?" The White Slayer challenged. "As much as I'd pay money to see that play out," Jasmine Brimstone breached the scene, followed by the landing Skyhawk Diana parked on the barren wasteland. Her goggles, while still affixed to her eyes, showed a golden glow emanate behind the pair of lenses. Smiling she gestured to the Captain as his subordinates returned, flanking Drake Squad's own ranks, just as they stopped short behind him. "I'd rather not have a senseless fight amidst a deity and a councilor's children. That would be rather irresponsible of you, wouldn't it?" "I could have you all arrested for being in a restricted zone to begin with-" "Have a heart, Eucliffe," Constantine growled out, his arms crossed over his chest with Rubie staring warily at her Captain and the Punishment Force's leader. "They helped us out in a bind when you weren't even remotely close by. We can settle this out in a messy way, or, you can be an actual gentleman instead of a jackass and actually learn to thank people who stick their necks out on the line." "THANK YOU-!" "Shut up, fire crotch," The Drake Squad Captain snapped at Prometheus, much to the Slayer's visible chagrin, as he returned his staredown with Sting. Morgan smiled as she saw Sting’s reaction to her words. While she had no idea why Crime Sorcerie carried such a reputation, seeing the antagonistic council mage lose his cool provided her a measure of satisfaction. She now could see a vulnerable spot to take advantage of if the need came. When Prometheus, Jasmine, and Diana arrived, she felt a sense of relief. After he prior near-disaster, seeing them alive and unharmed made even the current stressful situation all the easier. Knowing they were safe, a weight lifted from her heart. Despite the day being what she would deem a failure, she still felt hope that all the wrong done could be stopped. Being forced to move so soon after being healed irked Roland. He could feel his bones ache and his muscles tense after being shifted around and repaired. But he soldiered on regardless. He had his own reasons and he would sooner endure a thousand times worse before he ruined his chance. With every limping step, he breathed a hiss of pain. It was only by using Arondight as a crutch was the only way he prevented himself from crashing to the ground. Limp forward, stab the dirt, repeat, over and over. Despite lagging behind the others he would make it, he had to make it. When he arrived, he could hear Sting threatening everyone for entering restricted ground, and judging by the shouts coming from everyone else, he was in a rather vast minority, even the other Drake Squad members vouching against the idea. It warmed his heart to see his dear friends defending his little sister without even yet knowing the truth. “My boss has a point Sting.” he said, forcing himself to keep a steady tone. As he inched forwards, passing the throng of council mages he raised his arm in greeting, all but his index finger clenched in an open fist. Though a simple gesture to the onlookers, he knew that Morgan would understand the symbol’s meaning in their shared code; don’t say anything important, give away nothing, the wrong ears were listening. “While you were elsewhere, these kids went out and kicked ass. They’re as good as heroes and this is how you say thanks? By wanting to lock ‘em up? Come on, have some decency.” Morgan flicked her eye towards the sounds of something stabbing the ground along with a voice she almost instantly recognized. When she saw a familiar silver-haired man wearing crimson limping forward, she almost shouted in both surprise and joy before she quickly noticed how his arm was raised. Unable to even show her understanding of the gesture, her focus returned to Sting, who she guessed was the one Roland was warning about. Silently, she sent a mental message to Maria and Diana. “''That man....it’s him! That’s my big brother! But we can't let them know''!” Though it took everything she had to stand still, to show nothing, just being able to wordlessly express her happiness at finally seeing him was enough. Maria and Diana shared brief moments of startled awareness of what was told to them. While Maria didn't know the ranks of the Armed Wizards as well as the notorious Punishment Force, it was quite clear the man and her sister had similar features, especially the eyes, that told they were siblings. Diana had heard of this man's exploits but never considered he was related by blood to the new adopted child. Her gaze turned to the White Slayer, hoping he didn't catch any of the subtle dialogue. Fortunately for them all, he hadn't the patience to deliberate and attempt to incarcerate them all. "Tch, have it your way," Captain Eucliffe sneered, pointing a finger at Roland in particular. "But you're going to hear from your superiors why you stuck your neck out for illegally acting Mages," Turning to look at Diana, he nodded towards her, "You should know better than to use your Independant Mage status as immunity. Legal Mages could get off with a warning, but your kind? Groups of your ilk don't respect the law enough to be enforced by those of higher accountability. Think about that the next time you ally with suspicious individuals or allow children to enter the battlefield." "Oh believe me," Diana answered just as bruskly, glaring back at the man. "Your boss and my own will have quite the lengthy discussion about what is truly acceptable." Growling, the Slayer turned and motioned for his subordinates to fall in rank, "Set up a barricade around this area. I'll need time to find a trail and pursue them. Let these riff-raff out and make sure they don't come back in. Understood?" A round of acknowledgement was made before the armored wizards turned and began to walk a far distance to begin their duties. A Matter of Trust Once they were out of range, Maria put a hand on her chest and sighed with relief. "I thought we were going to prison. That man could do that, you know?" "Yeah, just because someone can doesn't mean it's always the best course of action," Prometheus nodded, fishing out a cigarette to light up and breathe through complacently. "After all, even if he wanted to use force, he's seriously undermanned to pull it off safely. Not to mention a group of Mages responded in accordance to orders stuck up for us. None of us was doing anything technically wrong fighting the good fight. It just doesn't look good when you get permission to be where an Ex-Prison used to be, ya know?" "Speaking of things that don't look good," Constantine turned, grabbing Roland by the collar and pulling him close so he could get the full scope of his angry sneer. "What the Hell did you mean to say you KNOW Jadow, the Ragnarok Beast?! Start talking, or I'll be glad to haul your ass over so pretty boy Captain can bring you to the lowest dungeon possible." "Hey! Captain-" "Shut it, Rubie! This piece of shit has been withholding evidence of a greater evil, one that was deemed a myth, actually exists!" Turning to look at a paled Diana to a stone-faced Jasmine even to a scared Maria. Looking to the aloof Goddess he took a venomous shot at Morgan as well. "Anyone else want to comment on it?! How people are in the loop of an actual menace much bigger than a terrorist who destroyed a centuries-old prison AND a monument filled with thousands of people?!" "It's not so easy to explain," Maria tried to alleviate the tension, only making Constantine angrier. "Then dumb it down for me, NOW!" Morgan was glad to see Sting and his minions leave. With him gone, she could finally reunite with her brother after over two years of being apart. Just the thought made her smile and a warm feeling light up her nerves. The promise that she carried for so long could at long last pay off. Seeing Constantine grab her brother, her rage flared, almost entirely drowning out the joy she felt. She slowly walked towards the Drake Squad. “Let him go...NOW!” she growled, baring her fangs. Only the fact Roland was at risk of being hurt by her own powers forced her to make a demand instead of making it happen. "I won't let you take him!" “That's enough Morgan. I can handle this." Roland kept his calm despite having a furious Constantine in his face. He knew that the questions would one day come, distrust would follow. He was completely aware that his more than two-year silence had led to the outburst and only the truth could make it end. And so he spoke as soon as Constantine ordered an explanation. “Dumbed down it is then.” Pushing Constantine away he walked over to a visibly livid Morgan and set a hand on her shoulder. “I need to tell my friends everything, okay?” he asked, relieved when the dark-haired girl nodded. Knowing she was okay with their knowing the full story made what he had to do all the easier. “Once they understand, we’ll be able to sit down and talk, I promise. And this time, I won't keep you waiting." Turning back to the other Drake Squad members with a serious expression, he began to explain. “You asked how I know Jadow? My little sister here was forced to become a Dragon Slayer. More specifically, his. What Jadow did, I won’t say, but...for a decade our lives were made hell. How’s Faer come into all of this? He tried and failed to free us. Until rather recently, I thought he died the day he fought the dragon. Looks like I was as wrong as could be. Anything else?” He was hoping to keep his story as short as possible, aware that to delve into the full thing would take forever. Everyone had their share of baggage, but this implies something far deeper in terms of menace and impact on the world as a whole. Everyone knew of Acnologia, the Black Winged Apocalypse, someone who was labeled as a nightmare because of his obliteration of nations nearly a millenia ago. But those who studied Dragons in the aftermath of the Black Dragon Slayer's demise found there was one last strong enemy that the menace had fought, one who adhered to the tradition of Dragons treating the human race as cattle, a food supply. Jadow, the Ragnarok Beast. Until Acnologia rose up alongside a generation of Dragon Slayers, born from the use of ingesting the "Dragon's Seed" that enabled them to use the art of dragon slaying. At first he was a patriot, a person who wanted to stop the antagonizing nature of Dragons, the very same beasts that slew all of his loved ones. Jadow had confronted him before and humiliated him according to old texts of fallen Slayers and had treated him like a child. That is, until he became the Black Winged Apocalypse that all of history would remember him by. Their battle was fierce and decimated the ocean's line of islands that separated Ishgar from the other continent across the sea. In its aftermath, Acnologia emerged victorious and his kill left no body. That was how the tale ended. A week's of combat and hundreds of isles destroyed in their wake. Up until this point Jadow was the hallowed king of darkness, the ruler of all dragons who wished to impose their dominion over human kind and any other sub-species beneath them. It was even rumored that it was he who drove the gods out of Earthland, slaying any that didn't evict themselves from their creation. That is, until now. Aria looked pale, as if she was going to be sick. Thoughts dwelled on how quiet and distant Roland had been. She assumed his secretive nature was for some trauma, but she never imagined he'd be involved with the King of Darkness. To be his slave, bound to him for his whims and forcing his sister to be his slayer...it was nauseous. Rubie looked on with shock. She had reason to believe he was connected with some tabboo magic, or some organization that delved into unlawful actions. Even if it was family, she understood, these weren't things one talked about. But the Dragon...the one that was supposed to have slain by Acnologia of all beings...still alive and was responsible for making him and his sister's lives a living Hell? She could only gawk with a disturbed expression. Their Captain, however. "What...the actual...fuck?!" Constantine sputtered out with a mixture of surprise and anger. His livid countenance was only mitigated by his fear of the consequences of knowing such things. Especially given it was one of his own squad. Shaking, his face pulled back into a snarl and he stepped up front; and threw a punch to deck him across the face. "WHAT KIND OF SHIT DID YOU PULL, ROLAND?!" "Captain!" Rubie shouted, rushing up to steady her exhausted ally while steering a glare back at him. "Back off! He didn't do anything wrong-" "Didn't he?! Withholding information like this is a criminal offense to the Council! He KNOWS about a menace bigger than the terrorist we just encountered! Worse, he's kept this information on hold until NOW of all times! The fucking NERVE!" The Drake Captain turned, his hand already putting a grip on one of his pistols. "Give me a reason why I shouldn't save you the trouble and paint your brains on the ground!" "Captain-!" "No, none of you understand what this means!" He looked around, seeing stern to stoic expressions on Prometheus and Jasmine. Even his eyes turning to look at Cassandra showed she had an understanding his demise hadn't come to pass. Maria was the easiest, as she looked around nervously, having rushed up to clutch at her sister's arm to stabilize her. The last thing they needed was an all-out battle between friends, and she knew for certain this man wasn't an enemy. He was scared, and he showed it in his words despite the harshness of his voice. "Bastard, even these assholes know about it but me. The Council of this era won't look kindly on anything resembling a conspiracy that may harm the country's citizens, if not the whole of the world. They won't deliberate, they will act. If one of their information networks hears of this, we will be interrogated, put on trial and then sent away to rot in one of their many jails made for disobedient or renegade mages. "So now you get a big picture, asshole, of what kind of mess you got us into," Constantine turned back to Roland, his eyes a fierce red as his jaws gritted visibly. "How are you going to make it up to your TEAM?!" Roland watched as his comrades’ faces went from confusion and shock to fear, maybe even disbelief. He couldn’t blame them. Not only had he kept the existence of the Darkness Dragon Slayer secret but the dragon that forced his power upon her as well. Even still, to see them look at him as if he were a stranger hurt him deeply. He only hoped that one day, he could atone for what he had to do. As Constantine walked up, he readied himself for another bout of being screamed at and threatened. Instead, before his worn-out mind could react, he felt the sting of a punch cracking against his jaw. Had Rubie not helped him out, he had a feeling that he’d have been eating dirt. The taste of blood flooded his mouth, a taste he knew all too well. “I might have deserved that.” he muttered, spitting a glob of blood, looking back at Morgan, seeing her shaking with barely restrained fury. Only having someone else holding her was keeping her still, a sight that both warmed his heart and confused him to no end. The girl he remembered would have run at the slightest hint of a touch, fleeing without ever looking back. “You think I never asked myself that same question? I didn’t want you guys getting involved with my past...because I know EXACTLY what the price you’ll pay is. I’ve already lost so many people that I couldn’t drag you guys down with me. But now, here we are. And I don’t know how to make it right. I don’t know what to give, what to say. I just don’t know!” "Then you better start thinking about it," Constantine finished, gruffly adding with his hand moving away from the pistol and pointing at him harshly. "Because our team's collective ass is riding on the line here thanks to this. This isn't just me. It's all four of us. Better start coming up with something quick otherwise I might do something stupid to fix it myself." "Captain-" "Don't!" He hissed at Aria and looked to Rubie. He matched her scowl with one of his own. "You better get us a ride on out of here before I decide to hoof on out." "We can assist you with that," Diana offered, earning a snort from the leader of Drake Squad. "Piss off," He sneered, looking over to Rubie. "What are you waiting for?" "Let Roland at least say goodbye to the others. After all, they did help save our 'collective asses' as you put it," She dryly intoned with a tilt of the head. Sighing, he rubbed his face and groaned loudly as he stomped off, "Fine! Whatever! Just do what you want, just know I might leave you behind!" Shaking her head, Rubie turned to check on him, "Are you okay? He clocked you pretty hard, just after you barely recovered..." Roland shook his head as Constantine stormed off. “I’m not fine Rubie...Oh, you mean the punch? Yeah, I'll live. But, I don’t want to say goodbye right now and I won’t. I spent two years waiting for this day and I’ll be damned if I’m going to lose it. If you and Aria want, go with Boss, I won’t stop you. But I have a promise or two to keep.” he said, walking away without an answer. There was no way he was going to let the anger roiling inside him to ruin his only chance to make things right. Though he tried to hide it, he was breaking inside, torn between two extremes of loyalty. “I’m sorry you kids had to see that.” he said, smiling half-heartedly as he walked over to the girls. Before he could say anything else, he saw Morgan slowly let go of Maria and in the blink of an eye, he felt her wrapping him in a crushing embrace. Despite how much it hurt, he returned the hug. “You have to leave already? You can’t, you finally came...just like you promised me. Don’t go!” Morgan begged. She had done her waiting for the promised time and she would do everything she could to make sure her brother stayed. “Mind letting go? You’re crushing me.” the swordmaster groaned. Once his sister relinquished her grip he began to laugh. “I promised you we could talk, didn’t I? I’m not going anywhere. Not for a while. Besides, I bet you have some awesome stories to tell me, right? I want to hear some.” Morgan smiled as relief washed over her. “But first, you have to meet my family. They’ve been taking care of me for the last few months. Maria, Diana come over here and meet my big brother.” Maria was a bit nervous to meet the elusive big brother of her sister. Her half brother if you wanted to be specific. Other than some facial features shared, eyes being close to the same, his hair color was that of untrodden snow. Wearied by the battle he participated in, she gently raised a hand to shake with his. A sincere smile broadened as her eyes met his, "My name is Maria Alexander, Morgan's sister. It's so nice to see you safe and sound, more or less. From the tales Morgan told me, I was wondering if I'd ever see you...well...alive, haha!" "I'm Diana Lance, charged with caretaking these two whenever they aren't in the estate," The blonde woman smiled back, bowing with an arm crossed over her black suit covered chest. Rising up with an intuitive glance, she cocked her head to the side. "If per chance you wished to meet Master Victor, I'm sure he'd love to make your acquaintance." "Actually, I would," The sudden voice of Victor Alexander came from behind them. Without even the use of their rings, a Thought Projection appeared before them of the robed man in regal burgundy that was covering his business suit. Smiling as Diana and Maria parted so he could walk up to the man, he grinned knowingly. "I believe that you came into possession a personal item that belongs to her. Perhaps you'd like to return it to her, now that you're here?" “''Family? Wait, what?" Roland thought to himself, the word coming out of Morgan’s mouth shocking him for a moment. It didn’t take long for him to accept the idea that she had found people who she cares about enough to call them her family but it was still a surreal idea. When Maria introduced herself, he politely shook her hand, glad that there was some level of sanity around his sister. Even having just met, he could tell the girl was a good influence on his sister’s mental state, especially considering what he had seen just a few minutes ago; not just anyone could hold back an absolutely livid Morgan with just a simple touch. The level of trust they obviously shared was enviable. When Diana bowed to him, he had no idea what to say. In all his time, he never once had anyone bow in any capacity. It just seemed so weird and out of place. When she suggested a meeting between Victor and himself, he wasn’t sure what to think about it. On one hand, the man was practically taking care of his sister but on the other, such a meeting was a possible political move. Allying the IMAC with even one of the Armed Wizards’ branches in any capacity was a potent way to pull clout with the rest, adding to the company’s already staggering climb through not only the business world but the world of guilds as well. Before he could decide for himself, the choice was already made, with Victor appearing as a Thought Projection. “I have something of...OH! I almost forgot about that.” the silver-haired man exclaimed as he reached deep into his Requip dimension, half-expecting there to be resistance after being cut from it earlier. Upon materializing the item he sought, revealed to be the black katana known as Yaki, he carefully handed the blade to its rightful owner. Morgan carefully wrapped her hands around the handle, noticing the wrapping had recently been redone, especially in the areas that had worn the most. That was just the most obvious repair, second only to how clean the cutting edge was compared to how it was last time she saw the weapon. Though Yaki was never meant to be used by someone her size and strength, the familiarity of the weight in her hands was welcomed despite being unbalanced. “I thought it was gone forever. Where’d you find it?” “Right where you left it, in a train car reduced to slag and twisted metal. Of course, it was the first clue you were alive so I had to keep it safe.” Roland replied before looking directly at Victor. “I’m normally not good at this sort of thing, but...Thank you for taking care of Morgan. I really do appreciate it with all my being.” "It is I who is thankful that you managed to keep her safe under such dire circumstances. So consider this to be no debt needing to be repaid," Victor replied smoothly with a grateful smile. A twinkle in his eye, though, cued in a gesture of his hand towards Diana. She stood tall and looked suddenly attentive as he turned his attention to her. "Can you vouch for his expertise and professional conduct?" "Sir, while I was busy with my own duties I can say for certain he fought tooth and nail along with the rest of us against our common enemy, the Black Briar. Among them were allied Dark Mages who are of considerable menace to us. Some of which made our allies in the Crime Sorcière think twice," She debriefed, much to Prometheus' visible chagrin. "Then that settles it," The Business Leader of IMAC and Master of the Phoenix Guild, turned to look at Roland straightly. "I'd like to offer you a job, Roland Deschain. One that will replace your prior attachments to the Armed Wizards Division of the Magic Council and that can make it easier for you to be reunited with your sister and be closer to her as well. Conventionally, I'd like to hire all four of you in Drake Squad so none of you are in danger of any information that you withheld comes back in a negative way," He turned to look at a flabbergasted Rubie who blinked with a mouth slack open in awe. "That is, if they want to work for someone like me, that is." "I...uh...well...I'd go wherever Roland does," She turned to look at him and then averted his gaze to blush slightly in embarassment, scratching her chin as she muttered in addition. "Someone has to keep your head on straight before you get any crazy ideas." Roland’s jaw went slack. He couldn’t believe how fast luck had swung back into his favor. He had spent years wracking his brain for a way to, as he was sure Constantine would say, “unfuck the situation” and right at that moment, there was a way. A job offer from the most famous man in Ishgar wasn’t something he had ever expected to receive in his life, nor did he ever plan on accepting such a job but Victor was willing to hire all four of the Drakes, stripping away one of his compunctions with the idea and Morgan’s trust in the man and the fact he had taken care of her took away another. Yet one remained: the swordmaster doubted the offer was entirely altruistic. If the deal went through, Victor would gain more than just four mages, he gained a group of mages with clout among the Armed Wizards. Roland turned to his partner to mockingly scold her for insinuating his recklessness in front of his sister but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw her blushing and acting strange. “''Gods she’s cute like ''th'...No! Focus! There’s plenty of time for those thoughts later!''” he thought, hastily looking away and praying his thoughts quieted down so he could answer the question. “Honestly, if it were up to me, I’d be all over this. But I think I need to talk it over with the other Drakes first. The last thing I want is to split us up, not after all we’ve done together. So, mind if we have some time to mull it over and see where we stand?” Morgan was a barely restrained bundle of glee as it was but the idea of having her brother coming to live and work with her escalated her happiness to a whole new level. But just as quickly as the elation came, she felt it deflate when Roland said he’d want to stay with his team. She understood that they were his family, but it still hurt. Silently, she hoped that somehow, someway, he could convince his other friends to come too. Chuckling, Victor nodded with affirmation, "Good, because if I was frank, I would've dropped the idea of hiring someone who accepted an offer too good to be true. It shows character to be cautious and wary of those of high status and influence. I'm fairly certain that's how you and Morgan survived all this time. Do take your time considering this proposal and give me your answer at the appropriate time. I won't be going anywhere and neither will my Guild. Speaking of which, Diana?" "Understood," The Virago Spirit acknowledged with a unfastening of the wring over her gloved wrist. Walking up to Roland, she placed it onto his palm. "Using this, you can contact any one of us using IMAC's signals. You'll be able to project a Thought Projection with ease and give your answer to him whenever you wish." "Is that something you just hand out to anybody?" Rubie speculatively furrowed her brows. "Only when Master Victor deems it to be beneficial in the long term," She replied in a straightforward answer. "That being said," Jasmine nodded to their midst, smiling at Morgan and Maria. "It's been fun hanging with you kids, but we have to head back. If things like this little breakout escalate, who knows when we will have to get involved in this Dark Mage terrorism business Faer is doing. The Council will no doubt be making their moves." "If you ever want to use our library or train with a real pro slayer," Prometheus added with a toothy smirk. "Hit us up anytime." "T-Thank you for your hospitality!" Maria bowed quickly, showing her own courtesy to them. With everything said and done for them, the two leaped onto the back of the drake and took off into the skies. It wouldn't be long before they disappeared into the horizon at high speeds, unknown to where their base's destination would be now. Rubie also made sure to bow her head as Victor's Thought Projection eventually disappeared, leaving Diana shepherding Morgan and Maria back towards the Skyhawk. "Don't worry," Diana smiled warmly at Morgan. "We'll see them soon, I'm sure." "Yeah! It'll be okay after all," Maria enthused with an encouraging smile as she grasped her hand. "After all, you found your brother! That has to count for something, right?" Roland was thankful that Victor understood where he was coming from. With the deal still on the proverbial table, it was easier to bring up to his irate leader. “I’ll be sure to get in touch with you within the next few days. We should have our answer by then.” he said, trying to sound professional, a manner that didn’t suit him in the slightest. He gave Morgan a quick hug. “I guess this is where I go track down my boss and you go get some rest.” While the young Slayer didn’t want to admit it, her brother made a very good point. She was exhausted, having burned through the bulk of her magic power. She wanted to stay with him and make up for over two years of being apart. She understood why he had to go, and the sooner he did, the sooner he could talk to his team. But understanding did not equal acceptance. She didn’t want to let him walk away. “I’ll tell you everything next time, okay?” “I’ll look forward to it.” the swordsman said with a grin. He turned around and began to walk over to where he had left his signature sword. “Come on Rubie. Let’s get out of here before Sting decides to jump down our throats. I am not in the mood for a lecture from that asshole." Hoisting his massive weapon over his back, he silently prayed to whatever gods would listen that things went right when he asked Constantine and Aria to abandon the life they knew for a new job. Morgan felt Maria’s hand clasp her own as they were led back onto the Skyhawk, a smile forming on her lips against her will. She couldn’t help but grin no matter her mood when her sister’s hand found hers. Even at that moment, feeling like her heart was broken into a million pieces, it was just that simple contact that made all the pain go away. “Yeah. And now he knows where I am so he can come visit, even if he can’t come work for Father. So, it’s not all bad.” Category:The Phoenix Saga Category:Morgan Deschain Category:Prometheus (Mangetsu20) Category:Swartz Category:Mina Saark Category:Donovan Treuce Category:Rowlie Bann Category:Faer Pleigh